What are the effects of ozone pollution at Mt. Rainier?
Ozone concentrations at Paradise, as throughout the Pacific Northwest, only rarely rise above the health-based standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency. But even the concentrations routinely measured in Mount Rainier National Park may be enough to stunt plant growth. In fact, evidence suggests that a similar rural-urban pattern of ozone pollution around greater New York has led to significantly decreased plant growth in the surrounding rural lands than in heavily polluted New York City. Northwest plants that are especially sensitive to ozone pollution include red alder, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen. Ozone is one of the most phytotoxic air pollutants and causes considerable damage to vegetation throughout the world. The effects range from visible injury to the leaves and needles of deciduous trees and conifers to premature leaf loss, reduced photosynthesis, and reduced growth. Ozone also makes plants more susceptible to disease, pests, and environmental stresses, and int
